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5th gear noise

Guys, I own a Heritage and this is my "other" Harley. This is not a whine but a noise that you can't ignore. There is something wrong with this transmission and I cannot get the dealer to do anything other than say he has made a record of it. I will try the lube suggestions but Willie G needs to be whipped if he thinks this 5th gear is a good design. I have a friend who bought the same bike a couple of weeks earlier and his 5th gear has a sound to it but not anything like what I am talking about.
 
stumpknocker said:
Guys, I own a Heritage and this is my "other" Harley. This is not a whine but a noise that you can't ignore. There is something wrong with this transmission and I cannot get the dealer to do anything other than say he has made a record of it. I will try the lube suggestions but Willie G needs to be whipped if he thinks this 5th gear is a good design. I have a friend who bought the same bike a couple of weeks earlier and his 5th gear has a sound to it but not anything like what I am talking about.
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If the scoot is still under warranty - MAKE them find it!
 
stumpknocker said:
Guys, I own a Heritage and this is my "other" Harley. This is not a whine but a noise that you can't ignore. There is something wrong with this transmission and I cannot get the dealer to do anything other than say he has made a record of it. I will try the lube suggestions but Willie G needs to be whipped if he thinks this 5th gear is a good design. I have a friend who bought the same bike a couple of weeks earlier and his 5th gear has a sound to it but not anything like what I am talking about.
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Is that how you explained it to the Dealer when they offer to "Make a note of it"? If so I would be finding another dealer.
 
I'm no engineer, so I don't know the reason for the six speed transmission gearing on 07 and later HD touring bikes. Perhaps the Heritage also has the same transmission.

Gears make noise, certain gears make a little more noise.

With the six speed HD transmission, 1st gear and 5th gear are spiral gears, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th are helical gears. Or it could be the other way around, I forget. The point is there is nothing wrong with the transmission.

I don't now about the "$305 to get to where you are now," on an 07. I put almost 28,000 miles on an 07 RK with no problems. I too noticed the whine at first. I don't know if it got quieter as it wore in or I just got used to it. Still after awhile, I didn't hear it unless I tried. I ran and run the HD synthetic oils.

On the 09 Ultra, I noticed it again at first but now I barely hear it.

Again, there is nothing wrong with your transmission. It's a Harley, guys, they are noisy and it isn't always the aftermarket pipes.
:USA
 
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Yep, there's a definite noise. I switched to Red Line with shockproof. First time after going from initial 1000 mi HD oil not much change. I changed it again at 2500 while the oil was nice and warm and used Redline again. Still have the 1st gear "clunk" (that never goes away I'm told) but shifting up and down through the gears is so smooth and quiet I'm sometimes not sure it even shifted. But still have some whine in 5th. I'm in CA so a little "wine" is a good thing...after the ride of course!
 
1st and 5th are straight cut gears. They were designed that way for strength. IMO it is a good design. These two gears take the most abuse, downshift to 5th to pass and I don't know anyone that starts a burnout in 2nd. I do hear the whine, but it doesn't bother me. It just let's me know what gear I'm in.
 
doj1975 said:
1st and 5th are straight cut gears. They were designed that way for strength. IMO it is a good design. These two gears take the most abuse, downshift to 5th to pass and I don't know anyone that starts a burnout in 2nd. I do hear the whine, but it doesn't bother me. It just let's me know what gear I'm in.
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Here's some food for thought...

First and fifth are straight cut gears and the rest are helical. The older 5 speeds didn't make the noise that the straight cut first and fifth gears make in the 6 speeds, WHY? :D

To much blame being put on the straight cut gear in 5 th gear with the 6 speeds when IMO feel it's a bad design with poor tolerances that is causing it not to mention the trap door flexing that causes the clutch handle chatter, it's not the fact of a straight cut gear. Why weren't all the 5 speed transmission gears as noisy with the wine as the 5 th gear is in the new 6 speeds?

Try keeping your hand on the clutch handle , then get on and off the gas and notice the handle walk in and out, you'll see what I refer to here. There's a lot of people that wouldn't notice this but being "tuned in" to a mechanical piece of equipment will show you a lot of design flaws that most don't notice.
 
And....Since it is 1st & 5th...Why don't you have the whine in 1st? Speed related? I'm talking about the speed of the gears within the transmission, as well as the speed of the bike.
Quite possibly might have something to do with it.
Evidently it is (in fact) a problem with Harley's design, because the Baker 6 speeds do not have this issue.
 
Mine does have the whine in 1st. It is actually more pronounced in 1st. I'm not positive, but doesn't the Baker have all helical gears?
 
Yeah. But no seems to complain about the noise that 1st gear makes. That's what I was alluding to with my comment about it being speed related.
And I believe you are correct in the Baker being all helical cut gears.
 
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